L31 An afternoon escape to Italy

40 members and guests rolled up to enjoy some Italian delights, welcoming in the first day of Spring. The lunch was put togehter by newly sworn-in member Tom Squires, assisted in the kitchen by guest Sam Alexiou. Tom was presented with the WFSNSW 'Golden Apron' for his first time cooking for the Society. 

Wine report by Stephen O'Halloran

The theme for today’s lunch was Italian, put together by one of our newest members, Tom Squires, with the assistance of potential new member Sam Alexiou. Their youthful keenness and drive to put on a good lunch were rewarded with an excellent lasagne, plus some delicious canapés. See food report.

It was terrific to see a good roll-up, with around 40 members supporting them at their first WFS lunch.

The canapé wine was a Prosecco Rosé by Riva dei Frati NV. I suppose it was only a matter of time before we saw a Prosecco joining us for lunch, given the popularity of this drink worldwide. I thought that one day we would have to move with the times and not be like King Canute.

So, what is so wrong with having a Prosecco with an Italian meal? Plenty, in my view. Put simply, it was far too sweet and sugary and not in balance. Sorry to sound negative, but that's how I saw it. I really did not like it.

A courageous choice by our Wine Master, who is always endeavouring to widen our wine horizons with something a bit different.

The first two lunch wines were top class: a Seghesio Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 at 14.5% and a Poderi Aldo Conterno Barbera d'Alba 2015 at 14.5%. Both wines were lovely.

The Nebbiolo was a lightish wine, the colour of mild cherry, with a matching structure, but packing in some wonderful full fruit flavours of strawberry and cherry. Spicy, earthy hints followed, leading to a well-balanced texture with firm tannins and sufficient acidity to ensure a delightful finish.

A fine wine. I can just see myself on the shore of Lake Garda, on a sunny day, sipping this wine with a plate of antipasto, with enjoyable company, of course. Heaven!

The second wine, the Barbera, was totally different. Full-bodied, dense purple/black in colour and almost opaque. A big wine, no doubt, but in perfect balance and showing lots of flavour of blackberries, leather and earth. Tannin, oak and acidity all teamed up together to produce a powerful and pleasant finish.

Very definitely a wine for a fine Osso Bucco. I can just taste it!

Next was the Wynns Black Label Cabernet 2015 at 13.8%. This wine needs no introduction to our Society. It never fails to hit the mark, time after time.

Medium-weight and jam-packed with the classic taste of mature Coonawarra Cabernet, I think this wine has a great future ahead. Now 11 years old, it will be showing its class well into the 2030s.

An Australian icon.

The wine had that unmistakable aroma and taste of an Australian red wine, so different from the preceding Italian wines.

Wine 4 was the Tyrrell’s Old Hut Shiraz from 2014 at 14.2%. This wine is commonly regarded as the poor cousin of the esteemed Tyrrell’s Sacred Site collection. However, it comes from a vineyard right next to their celebrated 4 Acres vineyard, and being a 2014 vintage, it just does not put a foot wrong.

Totally different from the Wynns, it was much lighter, with juicy, sweet fruit. A soft wine, with gentle tannins and spicy dark fruit of plum and blueberry. An excellent finish.

A great example of the excellence of the 2014 vintage in the Hunter.

The final wine for our table was a “Fridge Drop”, by reason of our table numbers: a Lindeman’s Limestone Ridge Cabernet/Shiraz from 2012.

Once again, this wine was so different from the Italian wines in flavour and structure. You really knew you were back in OZ!

However, as I am uncertain how many in the room tasted this wine, I will not bang on, save to say it was delicious.

My pick of the day: the Barbera.

Food report by James Hill

A great way to welcome Spring with an Italian-themed menu, with first-time Chef of the Day Tom Squires in the kitchen, assisted by Sam Alexiou (Bill’s son and Tom’s cousin).

Canapés

Caprese skewers of Roma tomatoes, basil, bocconcini, glazed balsamic and EVOO.

Whipped ricotta on crostini, topped with lemon oil, toasted walnuts, hot honey and thyme.

Mushroom arancini with aioli dip.

Main

Slow-cooked beef short rib lasagne.

Salad of butter lettuce, shaved fennel, Parmesan, pine nuts and lemon vinaigrette.

A lasagne with a difference. Tom used 10.5 kilos of braised beef short rib as the filling, with béchamel and pasta perfectly cooked. A simple salad accompanied the main course.

A great effort by a first-time Chef of the Day. All aspects of the lunch, from the canapés through to the main course and cheese accompaniment, were acclaimed by attendees today.

Plenty on the plate — no one went home hungry!

Great flavours, textures and presentation were a highlight.

Bread

Fiore Bakery - Mcmahons Point.

Cheese

Keeping with the Italian theme, our Cheese Master, Mark Bradford, presented a blue cow’s milk cheese from Italy, ‘Gorgonzola Dolce’.

Surrounded by the lush pastures of Lombardy, the Mauri family still mature cheeses in their purpose-built caves, carved into the foothills of the Italian Alps.

Typically made from a single milking, the white interior has thick green lines of mould and a soft, creamy flavour. The crusty rind bulges as it matures and develops distinct yeasty flavours reminiscent of Taleggio. Gorgonzola Dolce is soft and sweet, with a subtle creamy texture and a piquant finish.

The cheese was accompanied by peeled grapes baked with orange zest.